Lorraine Williamson
The idea of a Spanish Olympic Games bid has a habit of resurfacing whenever the Olympic spotlight swings back to Europe. This weekend, it did so again — not via a ministerial launch or a mayoral campaign, but through a blunt warning from IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch: Spain can be taken seriously, he says, only if the country can act as one.
Speaking to Radio Nacional de España during the Milan–Cortina Winter Games, Samaranch argued that a Spanish bid for a future Summer Olympics would be “very much taken into account” internationally — but only with popular backing and “unity of action” across the political institutions that would have to deliver it.
It’s an alluring message for a country still living off the glow of Barcelona 1992. It’s also a reminder of what went wrong last time Spain tried to play the hosting game.
Barcelona 1992 still opens doors — but it doesn’t guarantee anything
Samaranch says Spain retains a reputation as a capable organiser. Barcelona’s legacy still matters in Olympic circles, and he believes that credibility hasn’t vanished.
The complication is timing. The IOC’s next open Summer Games are 2036, and the field is already crowded with countries exploring bids and courting the IOC through its “continuous dialogue” process. Reuters has reported confirmed interest and bids from several states, including Qatar, India, Turkey and others, with Germany and Hungary among those that have publicly explored options.
In other words, Spain might be respected, but it would not be alone.
The wound that still shapes the conversation: Spain’s failed 2030 Winter bid
Samaranch’s strongest point was not about ambition. It was about discipline.
He has repeatedly pointed to the collapse of the Barcelona–Pyrenees bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics as the cautionary tale. That project fell apart after disputes between Catalonia and Aragón over venues and political conditions, and Spain ultimately ruled the bid out.
For Samaranch, that failure is the proof of concept: if the institutions cannot align, there is “no point” starting a new campaign.
Why “unity” is the real story — not the host city
Madrid has bid before — for 2012, 2016 and 2020 — and lost each time. Spain’s Olympic conversation has never really been about stadiums. It’s been about whether a bid can survive internal politics long enough to look credible abroad.
Samaranch’s condition is clear: a future Spain´s Olympic Games bid needs unanimity and coordination between the national government, regions and host city, and it needs that alignment early — not mid-campaign, not after the first crisis.
He also indicated the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), led by Alejandro Blanco, would be ready to work — but only if the political foundations are stable.
Are the Olympics losing young people? Samaranch says no
The IOC has long worried about whether the Games still cut through with younger audiences. Samaranch pushed back, pointing to viewing figures and insisting live sport continues to hold attention, even in an era dominated by short-form video.
It’s a familiar defence — but it matters for Spain, because any bid would have to persuade voters that hosting is not nostalgia, but relevance.
Spain´s medal tally at Paris Olympics 2024
Beyond just talk
There is no official Spanish bid on the table today. But Samaranch’s comments will land where these things always land: among politicians who like the symbolism, businesses that like the visibility, and citizens who ask the practical question — what do we get back for the cost?
If Spain wants to move beyond talk, the next step won’t be glossy renders or slogans. It will be the hard part: a credible, cross-party agreement on who leads, who pays, and how decisions are made — before the country ever knocks on the IOC’s door.
Sources: RTVE, Reuters, Europa Press, Catalan News